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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 13th AF 5th BG 23rd BS |
Pilot 2nd Seth A Talbott, O-771152 (KIA, BR) Ottawa, KS Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Theodore E. Lee (KIA, BR) Pacific Junction, IA Navigator 2nd Lt. Clare Schosser, O-206477 (KIA, BR) Washtenaw County, MI Bombardier 2nd Lt. Edward B. Paulson, O-777926 (KIA, BR) Opheim, MT Engineer Cpl Odell H. Smith, 34777278 (KIA, BR) NC Radio Cpl Donald W. Starbird, 19182675 (KIA, BR) OR Gunner Cpl Andrew K. Farnsworth, 31033099 (KIA, BR) Butte, MT Gunner Cpl Thomas E. McLean, 37573083 (MIA / KIA, BR) Magnolia, MN Gunner Cpl Cromwell C. Barlow, 18075743 (KIA, BR) Balmorhea, TX Gunner Cpl Edmond N. Desmarteau, 37344184 (KIA, BR) Rooks County, KS Crashed December 5, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in San Diego. Constructors Number unknown. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24 Liberator serial number unknown. Ferried overseas to the South Pacific (SoPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 5th Bombardment Group (5th BG), 23rd Bombardment Squadron (23rd BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 5, 1944 crashed on take off on Noemfoor Island. The entire crew was killed in the crash. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the remains of the crew were recovered with the exception of McLean who was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Postwar, exhumed and shipped to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials The entire crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. In 1948, Talbott was buried at Highland Cemetery in Ottawa, KS. Lee is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in secton J site 628. In 1949, Schosser is buried at Washtenong Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Ann Arbor, MI. Paulson is buried at Custer National Cemetery at section D, site 112. Smith is buried at Lower Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Lenoir, NC. Starbird earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at section F, row 5, grave 21. Farnsworth is buried at Centerville City Cemetery at B-16-1-1 in Centerville, UT. McLean earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Barlow is buried at Fort Bliss National Cemetery at section E, row 2, site 9080 in El Paso, TX. Desmarteau is buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, KS. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Seth A Talbott NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edward B. Paulson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Odell H. Smith NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Andrew C. Farnsworth sic middle name K. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Cromwell C. Barlow NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edmond N. Desmarteau FindAGrave - Seth Arnold Talbott (grave photo) FindAGrave - Theodore Evans Lee (grave photo) FindAGrave - LT Clare Schosser (news, grave photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Edward Benedict Paulson (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Odell Hoyle Smith (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald W. Starbird FindAGrave - CPL Donald W Starbird (grave photo) FindAGrave - Andrew Keith Farnsworth (photos, grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas E. McLean FindAGrave - CPL Thomas Edgar McLean (news, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - CPL Cromwell C Barlow (grave photos) FindAGrave - Corp Edmond N Desmarteau (grave photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 22, 2026 |
 B-24  MIA 1 Missing |
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